Company of Heroes 3: Fire & Steel Review Summary

Fun unique battlegroups and heavy tanks shine, and the anniversary update improves the game, but the DLC, though a great addition, lacks meaningful content.

Battlegroups are fun and unique: The four new battlegroups are consistently described as fun, viable, and distinct, each bringing new mechanics and strategic depth. Players appreciate that all battlegroups play differently and are relevant, enhancing replayability.

DLC is a great addition: Players widely praise the DLC as a solid, fun, and worthwhile expansion that complements the base game and the 2.0 update. It adds substantial content and is considered a breath of fresh air for Company of Heroes 3.

Heavy tanks are highlights: The inclusion of iconic heavy tanks like the King Tiger, Pershing, Elefant, and Churchill Crocodile is a major positive. Players find them powerful, fun, and effective, with the Pershing and King Tiger being particular favorites for their combat prowess.

USF battlegroup is strong: The US Forces battlegroup is highlighted for its strong team weapons, flexible half-tracks, and the powerful Pershing tank. Players enjoy the offensive and defensive upgrade options, making it a favorite for many.

Anniversary update improves game: The 2.0 anniversary update is praised for numerous bug fixes, UI improvements, quality-of-life tweaks, audio rework, and new content. Players feel the game is now polished, more enjoyable, and significantly better than at launch.

DLC lacks meaningful content: The DLC is criticized for not including skins, campaigns, or other substantial additions, making it feel like a half-hearted or incomplete package. Players note it brings little to the table beyond a few units.

Game development seems stalled: Some players feel the game is barely updated and not developing, which adds to dissatisfaction with the DLC. This suggests a broader concern about the game's long-term support.

Game was half-baked at launch: Some players recall that the base game was half-baked or half-broken at release, which may color their view of the DLC. This suggests a pattern of incomplete releases.

Heavy tanks are prominent: The game features heavy armor units like the Tiger, Elephant, and Königstiger, which are significant in gameplay. These units are often highlighted in reviews for their impact and presence.

Battlegroups offer varied playstyles: Battlegroups function as a system with distinct strengths, weaknesses, and skill trees, allowing each faction to be played differently. They introduce new playstyles in multiplayer and are comparable to doctrines from previous games.

Game includes multiplayer and single-player: The game offers both multiplayer and single-player content, including versus AI modes and skirmishes. The DLC adds content for both multiplayer and offline play against AI.

Game is WWII RTS: The game is a real-time strategy game set in World War II, focusing on tank combat and capture-point gameplay. This genre and setting are central to the player experience.

Factions include Afrika Korps and US Forces: The game includes factions such as Afrika Korps, US Forces, British, and Wehrmacht, offering diverse playstyles. These factions are central to the game's multiplayer and single-player experiences.

Game crashes frequently: Players report that the game crashes, which disrupts gameplay and can lead to loss of progress. This issue appears to be a significant technical problem affecting user experience.

Impressive graphics and performance: The game is praised for its spectacular visual presentation and smooth performance, indicating a high-quality graphical experience that runs well on players' systems.

Mixed purchase recommendations: Reviewers are split on whether to buy the DLC. Some strongly recommend it for dedicated players, while others advise against it due to high price and perceived low value.

Wait for a sale: Many reviewers suggest waiting for a discount before purchasing, indicating the full price is considered too high for the content offered.

Support developer purchase: Several reviewers frame the DLC as a way to support the developers and ensure the franchise's future, especially for those who enjoy the game.

Only for dedicated players: The DLC is recommended mainly for players who are already heavily invested in the game, not for casual or new players.

Not worth the price: Some reviewers feel the DLC is overpriced compared to other games or add-ons, and may not deliver enough content to justify the cost.

Community fair range: $15.00 - $25.00.

The game had a rough start but improved through updates, with new battlegroups being extremely fun, indicating that enjoyment comes after the initial issues are resolved.

Friction: rough start; initial balance problems.

Unlock drivers: continued developer support; patch 2.0; anniversary update; new battlegroups.

Competitive Multiplayer Enthusiast: Focuses on multiplayer matches, optimizing battlegroup choices, and following balance patches. Motivation: To experience new competitive meta and unit variety in multiplayer. Stance: buy.

Solo Player: Plays solo vs AI, annihilation matches, or campaign modes. Motivation: To enjoy single-player campaign or AI matches without needing multiplayer content. Stance: deep sale.

Value-Conscious Buyer: May play both modes but is cautious about spending, often waiting for discounts. Motivation: To get content at a fair price and avoid overpaying for DLC. Stance: sale.

Monetization: The user reviews for Company of Heroes 3's Fire & Steel DLC focus on its high price, limited content, and concerns about pay-to-win and paywalled content. The game itself is a one-time purchase with traditional DLC, and there is no evidence of microtransactions, lootboxes, or in-game currency. The complaints are about the DLC's value proposition rather than predatory monetization.

DLC overpriced for content: Multiple reviews criticize the DLC's price, noting it costs nearly $25 or €22.99, which is considered high for four battlegroups. Some compare it unfavorably to previous titles' DLCs that offered more content for the same price.

DLC supports developers: Many reviewers state they purchased the DLC primarily to support the developers, Relic Entertainment, especially after the company became independent. This is seen as a way to ensure continued game updates and development.

DLC lacks campaign content: The DLC is noted to contain only battlegroups for multiplayer or skirmish modes, with no campaign additions. This is a point of criticism for players expecting single-player content.

DLC recycles old content: Several reviews point out that the DLC's battlegroups and doctrines are largely recycled from previous Company of Heroes games, with only minor variations. This is seen as a lack of originality.

DLC price compared to base game: The DLC's price is often compared to the base game's cost, with some noting it is priced similarly or even higher. This leads to perceptions of poor value.